Laboratory Focus January 2013

Pharmaceutical

Clinical

Chemical

w w w. l a b o r a t o r y f o c u s . c a

environment

January 2013 Volume 17, Number 1

The Future of Biobanking

Improving Sample Quality

Page 8

Page 12

The biobanking market is poised for explosive growth

food

for target enrichment and next-gen sequencing

R&D News.......................... 1 Appointments..................... 6 Pharma Notes..................... 7 New Products................... 15 Calendar........................... 17 Career Spotlight............... 18

Professor Chris Eliasmith

University of Waterloo researchers build world’s largest computer model brain

Researchers at the University of Waterloo have built the world’s largest simulation of a functioning brain. The model is named Spaun, which stands for Semantic Pointer Architecture Unified Network. A computer model made of 2.5 million simulated neurons, the brain

Publications Mail Registration Number: 40052410

can think, remember and interact with its environment.

In addition, Spaun can capture the biological details of each neuron, including which neurotransmitters are used, how voltages are generated in the cell, and how they communicate. Spaun uses the neural

network to process visual images in order to control an arm that draws the brain’s answers to perceptual, cognitive and motor tasks.

What’s unique about the brain model is that it can perform several tasks. Researchers can present the brain with various patterns of digits and letters, through the model’s eye, and it will process the information and then write its response to any of eight tasks. Just like the human brain, Spaun shifts from task to task, recognizing an object one moment and memorizing a list of numbers the next. Because of its biological foundation, Spaun can also be used to understand how changes to the brain affect changes to behaviour.

The team’s research, published recently in the journal Science, can help scientists and other researchers understand how the complex activity of the brain is linked to complex behavior in humans and animals.

“This is the first model that begins to get at how our brains can perform a wide variety of tasks in a flexible manner—how the brain coordinates the flow of information between different areas to exhibit complex behaviour,” said professor Chris Eliasmith, director of the Centre for Theoretical Neuroscience at Waterloo.

He is also a Canada Research Chair in Theoretical Neuroscience, and a professor in Waterloo’s department of philosophy and department of systems design engineering.

“In related work, we have shown how the loss of neurons with aging leads to decreased performance on cognitive tests,” said Eliasmith.

“More generally, we can test our hypotheses about how the brain works, resulting in a better understanding of the effects of drugs or damage to the brain.”

In addition, the model provides insight into the sorts of algorithms that might be useful for improving machine intelligence. For instance, it suggests new methods for controlling the flow of information through a large system attempting to solve challenging cognitive tasks.

Professor Eliasmith has written a book on the research. “How To Build A Brain” will be on shelves this winter. Videos on the project are available at http://nengo.ca/ build-a-brain/spaunvideos.

To see this story online visit http://www.laboratoryfocus. ca/?p=462

2

January 2013 Laboratory Focus www.laboratoryfocus.ca

news Study reveals clues to cause of hydrogen embrittlement Hydrogen, the lightest element, can easily dissolve and migrate within metals to make these otherwise ductile materials brittle and substantially more prone to failures.

Since the phenomenon was discovered in 1875, hydrogen embrittlement has been a persistent problem for the de-

sign of structural materials in various industries, from battleships to aircraft, to nuclear reactors. Despite decades of research, experts have yet to fully understand the physics underlying the problem or to develop a rigorous model for predicting when, where and how hydrogen embrittlement

will occur. As a result, industrial designers must still resort to a trial- and-error approach.

Now, Jun Song, an assistant professor in materials engineering at McGill University, and prof. William Curtin, director of the Institute of Mechanical Engineering at École polytechnique fédérale

de Lausanne in Switzerland, have shown that the answer to hydrogen embrittlement may be rooted in how hydrogen modifies material behaviours at the nanoscale. In their study, published in Nature Materials, Song and Curtin present a new model that can Continued on page 4

PUBLISHER/EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Terri Pavelic staff writers Shawn Lawrence Daniela Fisher CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Annette Summers Kirill Gromadski Martin Frey Mary Napier Ruediger Salowsky Susanne Glueck NATIONAL ACCOUNT MANAGER Marcello Sukhdeo

Two elite organizations come together to serve you....even better VWR has partnered with Hach Company to bring you expanded access to the depth and breadth of product Hach can offer you.

Hach is able to offer you comprehensive soluitions for all your lab testing needs from electrochemistry to turbidity to chemistries, and more.

You deserve solutions you can be fully confident in and Hach has a tradition of providing easy-to-use products and expert support.

To learn more about the complete Hach product line, please visit:

GRAPHIC DESIGNER Elena Pankova CONTROLLER John R. Jones MARKETING MANAGER Mary Malofy CIRCULATION DIRECTOR James Watson circulation@promotive.net OFFICE: 24-4 Vata Court Aurora, ON L4G 4B6 Phone: 905-727-3875 Fax: 905-727-4428 E-mail: laboratory_focus@ promotive.net SUBSCRIPTION INQUIRIES circulation@promotive.net Fax: 905-727-4428 Laboratory Focus is published 6 times per year by Promotive Communications Inc. Legal Depository: National Library of Canada ISSN 40052410 Subscription rate in Canada $35/year; USA $60/year; other countries $100/year.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced without written consent.

Publications Mail Registration Number: 40052410 Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to circulation dept: 24-4 Vata Court Aurora, ON L4G 4B6 E-mail: circulation@promotive.net If you would like to order hard copy or electronic reprints of articles, contact Sandra Service 905-727-3875 x228 reprints@promotive.net www.laboratoryfocus.ca

www.laboratoryfocus.ca Laboratory Focus

3

January 2013

news

Aaron Slepkov

Peering Inside Rocks: Trent Professor helps make ground breaking discovery

Two leading publications are drawing attention to a recent discovery by an interdisciplinary team of scientists that includes Dr. Aaron Slepkov, Trent University’s Canada Research Chair in physics of biomaterials.

The group demonstrated that a technique entrenched in the biomedical imaging industry can be used by geologists to analyze pockets of fluid trapped in rock. The article appears in the November 2012 issue of Physics Today and the November 19, 2012 issue of Chemical & Engineering News.

Prof. Slepkov, who is a professor in Trent’s department of physics and astronomy, was integral to the project helping to develop the methodology, design the experiment, collect and analyze the data and write the report.

The team included researchers from Canada’s National Research Council and the US Geological Survey.

The team used a technique known as coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering (CARS) microscopy that has been gaining popularity in the biomedical sciences. CARS microscopy creates high-resolution, chemicallyspecific images, based on bondvibration frequencies. The technique can be used to build up three-dimensional images even in relatively turbid samples.

The breakthrough came when Prof.

Slepkov and his fellow researchers saw the potential application in other disciplines. “We wanted to broaden the utility of CARS microscopy, beyond biomedical imaging,” said Prof. Slepkov. “Seeing it as a tool for geologists is an idea that came right out of left field, when Bob Burruss of the US Geological Survey came to the National Research Council for

Albert Stolow’s CARS microscopy workshop.”

The researchers demonstrated that the CARS microscopy tool could be used to examine rock samples for pockets of methane gas and other organic matter, without destroying the samples. Previously, one had to crush the samples to examine its contents in this way. “This is just the beginning,” said Prof. Slepkov. “We are trying to show a range of potential applications that may be of interest to a wide swath of scientists, including mineralogists, archeologists, crystallographers, petroleum chemists, and fluid inclusion researchers.”

Prof. Slepkov sees this discovery as the first step towards creating demand for the technique in the geosciences but he also thinks there are commercial applications. “This technique allows the petrochemical industry to develop new ideas of what they might be able to do. In the long term, it’s going to assist in surveying and in determining in situ ratios of methane to crude oil content and various other chemical contents of crude oil.”

The technique was largely developed by Ph.D. student and co-author Adrian Pegoraro in Dr. Albert Stolow’s world-class lab at the National Research Council. Prof. Slepkov is currently working to build up research capabilities at Trent, including a laser microscopy lab to investigate biomaterials. Prof. Slepkov plans to continue working with his colleagues at the National Research Council and the US Geological Survey on this work, but he also hopes to collaborate with researchers in other disciplines at Trent.

To see this story online visit http://www.laboratoryfocus. ca/?p=495

McGill researchers discover effects of vitamin D on cancer Research out of McGill University has found that vitamin D has the potential to keep cancer cell proliferation in check, by slowing the progression of cells from premalignant to malignant states. The discovering research team was led by John White and David Goltzman, professors in the department of physiology at McGill’s faculty of medicine.

Their findings, published recently in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, showed the active form of vitamin D acts by several mechanisms to inhibit both production and function of the protein cMYC. This protein, cMYC, drives cell division and is active at elevated levels in over half of all cancers.

“For years, my lab has been dedicated to studying the molecular mechanisms of vitamin D in human cancer cells, particularly its role in stopping their proliferation,” said White. “We discovered that vitamin D controls both the rate of production and the degradation of cMYC. More importantly, we found that vitamin D strongly stimulates the production of a natural antagonist of cMYC called MXD1, essentially shutting down cMYC function.”

Also in the study, the researchers applied vitamin D to the skin of mice and observed a drop in the level of cMYC and evidence

of a decrease in its function. Moreover, other mice lacking the specific receptor for vitamin D were found to have strongly elevated levels of cMYC in a number of tissues including skin and the lining of the colon.

“Taken together, our results show that vitamin D puts the brakes on cMYC function, suggesting that it may slow the progression of cells from premalignant to malignant states and keep their proliferation in check. We hope that our research will encourage people to maintain adequate vitamin D supplementation and will stimulate the development of large, wellcontrolled cancer chemoprevention trials to test the effects of adequate supplementation,” said White.

While vitamin D can be obtained from dietary sources and direct exposure to the sun, the combination of poor diet and sun avoidance has created vitamin D deficiency in large parts of the population worldwide. There is a known link between insufficient amounts of the vitamin and increased incidence in a number of cancers, including colon cancer, cancers in the digestive tract, and certain types of leukemia.

The research was funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research and the National Cancer Institute/Canadian Cancer Society Research Institute.

To see this story online visit http://www.laboratoryfocus. ca/?p=497

4

January 2013 Laboratory Focus www.laboratoryfocus.ca

news Continued from page 2

2013 Pittcon award recipients announced

Computer simulation shows the surfaces of a microscopic crack in metal. The white atoms accumulated around it are hydrogen. accurately predict the occurrence of hydrogen embrittlement.

Under normal conditions, metals can undergo substantial plastic deformation when subjected to forces. This plasticity stems from the ability of nano- and micro-sized cracks to generate “dislocations” within the metal – movements of atoms that serve to relieve stress in the material.

“Dislocations can be viewed as vehicles to carry plastic deformation, while the nano- and micro-sized cracks can be viewed as hubs to dispatch those vehicles,” Song explains. “The desirable properties of metals, such as ductility and toughness, rely on the hubs functioning well. Unfortunately those hubs also attract hydrogen atoms. The way hydrogen atoms embrittle metals is by causing a kind of traffic jam: they crowd around the hub and block all possible routes for vehicle dispatch.

This eventually leads to the material breaking down.”

State-of-the-art computer simulations were performed by Song to reveal explicitly how hydrogen atoms move within metals and how they interact with metal atoms. This simulation was followed by rigorous kinetic analysis, to link the nanoscale details with macroscopic experimental conditions.

This model has been applied to predict embrittlement thresholds in a variety of ferritic iron-based steels and produced excellent agreements with experiments. The findings provide a framework for interpreting experiments and designing next-generation embrittlement-resistant structural materials.

The research was funded in part by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada, the U.S. Office of Naval Research and by the General Motors/Brown Collaborative Research Lab on Computational Materials.

To see this story online visit http://www.laboratoryfocus. ca/?p=493

The Pittcon 2013 program committee has announced the recipients of its 2013 Pittcon awards. The awards honour scientists who have made outstanding contributions to analytical chemistry and applied spectroscopy.

A new award for this year, the Robert Boyle Prize for analytical science, was established by the Royal Society of Chemistry for outstanding contributions to analytical science. It was awarded to Norman Dovichi for pioneering development of ultrasensitive separations, including the first separations at zepto- and yoctomole levels and capillary electrophoresisbased DNA sequencing for the human genome.

Other winners were: • Pittsburgh Spectroscopy Award: Laurence A. Nafie, Syracuse University • Pittsburgh Analytical Chemistry Award: David R. Walt, Tufts University • Pittcon Heritage Award: Posthumously awarded to Guenther Laukien, Founder of Bruker. The award will be accepted by his son, Frank H. Laukien, Bruker Corporation.

• Pittsburgh Conference Achievement Award: Sarah Trimpin, Wayne State University • ACS Division of Analytical Chemistry Award for Young Investigators in Separation Science: Kevin A. Schug, University of Texas at Arlington

Pittcon Hall of Fame

• The Coblentz Society/ABB Bomem-Michelson Award: Brooks H. Pate, University of Virginia • Chromatography Forum of the Delaware Valley Dal Nogare Award: Irving W. Wainer, National Institutes of Health • SEAC - Charles N. Reilley Award: Andrew G. Ewing, Chalmers University and the University of Gothenburg, Sweden • SEAC - Young Investigator Award: Bo Zhang, University of Washington • Ralph N. Adams Award: J. Michael Ramsey, University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill • The Coblentz Society - Williams Wright Award: John Coates, Coates Consulting LLC

March 17-21, at the Pennsylvania Convention Center in Philadelphia, PA. The conference will include presentations from scientists in diverse disciplines such as bioanalytical, biomedical, nanotechnology, food science, drug discovery, biomedical, materials science, homeland security, and neurochemistry. Methodologies represented include molecular, vibrational, and mass spectroscopy; capillary electrophoresis; HPLC; infrared and Raman spectrometry; LC/MS; UV/VIS; microfluidics; electrochemistry; and portable instruments.

For complete details and bios of the winners visit the events website at www.pittcon.org.

The awards will be presented during a symposium at Pittcon 2013,

To see this story online visit http://www.laboratoryfocus. ca/?p=499

Researchers find age not factor in immunity to viruses

Jonathan Bramson

Our immune system does not shut down with age, says a new study led

by McMaster University researchers.

The study published in PLOS Pathogens shows a specialized class of immune cells, known as T cells, can

respond to virus infections in an older person with the same vigour as T cells from a young person.

“For a long time, it was thought the elderly were at a higher risk of infections because they lacked these immune cells, but that simply isn’t the case,” said Jonathan Bramson, the study’s principal investigator. “The elderly are certainly capable of developing immunity to viruses.”

Researchers at McMaster, University of Toronto and the University of Pennsylvania examined individuals younger than 40, between 41 to 59 years of age and older than 60, infected with three different viruses, including West Nile, and found the older group demonstrated perfectly normal immune responses. Both the number of virus-fighting T cells and the functionality of the T cells were equivalent in all three groups.

“So as we age, our bodies are

still able to respond to new viruses, while keeping us immune to viruses we’ve been exposed to in the past,” Bramson said.

He added that these results have important implications for vaccination of elderly individuals. Currently, vaccines for the elderly aren’t designed to elicit responses from these immune cells, and this might explain the lack of effective protection from the flu vaccine, he said.

Vaccines specifically designed to generate T-cell immunity may be more effective at protecting older adults, Bramson said.

The research was funded by the Canadian Institutes for Health Research and the U.S. National Institutes of Health.

To see this story online visit http://www.laboratoryfocus. ca/?p=501

www.laboratoryfocus.ca

5

Laboratory Focus January 2013

news

new centre for global food security The province of Saskatchewan and Potash Corporation of Saskatchewan Inc. are investing $50 million in the new Global Institute for Food Security (GIFS) based out of the University of Saskatchewan.

With an initial investment of up to $35 million from PotashCorp and $15 million from the province over the next seven years, the new institute will make use of Saskatchewan’s agricultural resources, innovation and expertise to address the ever-increasing global demand for safe, reliable food.

“The plan for growth positions Saskatchewan as a global leader in food security and innovation by 2020,” said Saskatchewan Premier Brad Wall.

“Advancing Saskatchewan’s agricultural advantage allows us to significantly increase the global food supply – our moral obligation as a good global citizen – while building the next economy, an innovation economy, here at home.”

As the world’s population is expected to reach nine billion by 2050, global food production will need to increase by an estimated 70 per cent to match the increasing demand. Along with increasing production, the system will also need to change to effectively provide safer, more nutritional food to consumers.

“Food security remains our biggest challenge as populations increase and diets change, putting immense strain on food production,” said Bill Doyle, president and CEO of PotashCorp. “We need to help farmers around the world produce more food, ensure it’s safe and nutritious, and get it efficiently to those who need it. As the world’s largest producer of crop nutrients, supporting food production is a mandate for our company and we believe this institute can play an important role in improving global food security.”

PotashCorp’s donation is one of the largest corporate donations for university research in Canada. Its recipient, the new food security centre, will build on Saskatchewan’s strength in crop production systems through investments in technological, economic, nutritional and environmental improvements to the food supply system, at home and abroad. The institute will also

Kinexus launches new antibody microarray kit Bill Doyle

look at new approaches to the food supply system including: breeding for higher yield; improved nutrition and processing traits; examining how soil quality affects the nutritional value of crops; and adapting prairie zone crops to available soil and water.

To do this, the new centre will examine crops grown in Saskatchewan, as well as in other areas of the world, such as wheat, lentils, peas and canola. These are essential food sources for a large portion of the world’s population. The institute will work to develop transferable solutions that can be applied to regions and partnerships around the world.

Research from the new institute will also impact the policy agenda for food security, so that changes can take place to improve how the various parts of the food system interact.

The University of Saskatchewan is proud to be home to the institute: “Over the past century, the University of Saskatchewan has led far-sighted research and innovation to help grow a province and feed a growing nation. Now, through this innovative partnership and its bold vision, we will build on our strengths and provide new research solutions across the food supply system to help feed a growing world,” said Dr. Ilene Busch-Vishniac, president, University of Saskatchewan. “This collaborative institute will create unique opportunities for cutting-edge science and policy research that will attract top faculty and students and put Saskatchewan on the global map for food security research.”

Kinexus Bioinformatics Corporation has released its first KinexTM antibody microarray kit with its latest generation KAM-850 chip. The new antibody microarray is capable of tracking the levels and functional states of hundreds of diverse proteins in human and animal cell and tissue specimens and features more than 330 phosphosite- and 540 pan-specific antibody probes making it a reliable proteomics tool to study changes in cell signaling proteins that occur in response to a range of treatments, drugs, toxins, pathological and other experimental conditions.

“By offering the most affordable and highest quality antibody microarrays, we enable scientists to conduct proteome-wide screening in their own laboratories to further advance signal trans-

duction research that will ultimately help improve patient care,” said Dr. Steven Pelech, president and founder of Kinexus and a professor in the Division of Neurology at the University of British Columbia.

“We have already used our KinexTM antibody microarray to successfully identify panels of candidate biomarkers for Alzheimer’s disease and ALS that we are hoping to develop as diagnostic targets.”

Kinexus currently has agreements with over 1,700 research laboratories in companies, universities, government institutions and hospitals in over 35 different countries.

To see this story online visit http://www.laboratory focus.ca/?p=505

To see this story online visit http://www.laboratoryfocus. ca/?p=503

Important Notice:

Avis important :

Human Pathogens and Toxins Act

Loi sur les agents pathogènes humains et les toxines

Attention: Persons handling human pathogens and toxins

Destinataires : Personnes manipulant des agents pathogènes humains et des toxines

The Human Pathogens and Toxins Act is designed to protect the health and safety of the public against risks posed by the accidental or deliberate release of human pathogens and toxins from research or other facilities.

La Loi sur les agents pathogènes humains et les toxines vise à protéger la santé et la sécurité de la population contre les risques associés au rejet accidentel ou délibéré d’agents pathogènes humains et de toxines par un centre de recherche ou un autre établissement.

Under the Human Pathogens and Toxins Act, if you are handling human pathogens and toxins, you may be subject to certain obligations. The best way to know if the Act affects you is to register with the Public Health Agency of Canada on our website.

Selon la Loi sur les agents pathogènes humains et les toxines, si vous manipulez des agents pathogènes humains ou des toxines, vous pourriez avoir à remplir certaines obligations. La meilleure façon de savoir si la Loi s’applique à vous consiste à vous inscrire auprès de l’Agence de la santé publique du Canada en consultant notre site Web.

To register or to obtain more information about laboratory biosafety in Canada, please visit

Pour vous inscrire ou pour en savoir plus sur la biosécurité en laboratoire au Canada, veuillez consulter le site

www.publichealth.gc.ca/pathogens

www.santepublique.gc.ca/pathogenes

6

January 2013 Laboratory Focus www.laboratoryfocus.ca

aPPointments

The University of Ottawa Heart Institute (UOHI) announces the appointment of Dr. Marc Ruel as cardiac surgeon and Endowed Chair of Cardiac Surgery Research, UOHI and chief of Cardiac Surgery.

His five-year mandate will start on Jan. 1, 2013. Dr. Ruel received his M.D. cum laude from the University of Ottawa in 1994 and his specialist certification in Cardiac

Surgery in 2000. He then pursued a combined fellowship in minimally invasive surgery and laboratory research at Harvard University, where he also completed a Masters in Public Health, with a focus on statistical methods. Dr. Ruel’s faculty appointments at the University of Ottawa are with the departments of surgery, cellular and molecular medicine, and epidemiology and community medicine. He is the Chair of the Heart Transplantation and Ventricular Assist Devices Committee, and of the Operating Room Committee at UOHI. Diane Gosselin has been appointed as the new president and CEO of the Québec Consortium for Drug Discovery (CQDM). Gosselin will be replacing Max Fehlmann, who resigned from CQDM to become the CEO of the new Neomed Institute. Fehlmann will stay on at the CQDM as strategic advisor and a member of the board of directors. Gosselin joined the CQDM in September 2008, as vice president, Research and Business Development, and was responsible for establishing all funding programs and managing the CQDM’s corporate development activities. She has over 20 years of experience in research and corporate financing, namely at Fonds de solidarité

FTQ where she helped several companies implement their drug development strategy. At PROCREA BioSciences, she supervised the research team that created and developed the first non-invasive diagnostic test for endometriosis.

Gosselin has a Ph.D. in microbiology and immunology from Université de Montréal, as well as an Executive MBA from the Université du Québec à Montréal and Université Paris-Dauphine.

Valeant Pharmaceuticals International, Inc. has named Ryan Weldon and Jason Hanson to its executive management team.

Weldon will assume the role of executive vice president/company group chairman where he will lead the U.S. Dermatology Operations, including prescription dermatology, aesthetics and podiatry. Weldon will be relocating to Arizona where these operations will be headquartered. Hanson will relocate to New Jersey where he will assume the role of executive vice president/ company group chairman and lead certain U.S and international businesses and functions to be named later. In addition, Vince Ippolito has been appointed senior vice president, general manager, Aesthetics and Justin Smith will be appointed senior vice president, general manager U.S. Rx Dermatology.

Microbix Biosystems Inc. has appointed Vaughn Embro-Pantalony as president and CEO succeeding William J. Gastle who becomes executive chairman. EmbroPantalony has been a member of the Microbix board of directors and audit committee since 2007.

He has held senior executive roles in large biopharmaceutical and agriculture companies, including CFO at Novopharm Ltd and Bayer Healthcare, CIO at Bayer Inc and general manager of Terra Canada’s Nitrogen Division. Most recently he was CEO of StratPath Management Inc., consulting with life science companies on strategy and governance issues. EmbroPantalony has a BA in Economics, an MBA, is a Fellow of the Society of Management Accountants of Canada and holds the designations Chartered Director and Audit Committee Certified. The company also announces that Phil Casselli,

previously president of Microbix, is appointed to senior vice-president, sales and business development.

Ostara Nutrient Recovery Technologies Inc. announces the appointment of Scott McDonald as executive vice president and chief financial officer. McDonald began his career in finance, and quickly rose to the role of chief financial officer at several high-tech companies where he led two initial public offerings and multiple merger and acquisition transactions. He also was CEO at Castelle - a public company - from 2002 to 2008. He has served on various corporate boards, in both the public and private sector. He holds a BS Accounting from The University of Akron, and an MBA in Management from Golden Gate University.

Oncolytics Biotech Inc. has appointed Kirk Look to the role of CFO. Look has served as Oncolytics’ controller since 2003 and has been the chief financial officer of Oncolytics Biotech (U.S.) Inc. since 2009. Prior to joining Oncolytics, he held senior audit roles with Ernst & Young LLP in both North and South America over an eight year period. He holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree from the University of Calgary and is a Chartered Accountant.

Medical technologies company Covalon Technologies Ltd. announces the appointment of Abe Schwartz as chairman of the board of directors. Schwartz is the founder and president of Schwartz Technologies Corporation, which is actively involved in the financing, development and managing of healthcare and information technology companies. He has served as an advisor to the Covalon board of directors and a company shareholder. He has held executive positions in various public and private companies. Martin Bernholtz has stepped down as chairman of the board and will continue as a board director and chairman of Covalon’s Audit Committee. Bernholtz has been a director since May 2006 and Chairman of the Board since January 2010. The company also announced the appointment of Rita Jairam as CFO. Jairam has held a senior financial position with Covalon since the company’s inception

and has been the company’s corporate controller since 2005. She has over 20 years of professional finance and accounting experience with various healthcare and real estate companies and is a Canadian certified general accountant.

Stellar Pharmaceuticals Inc. and its operating division, Tribute Pharmaceuticals announces the appointment of Dr. Bernard Chiasson to the newly created position of CSO. Dr. Chiasson is a trained neuroscientist and pharmacologist and will lead the scientific and regulatory affairs worldwide for Stellar’s proprietary products as well as its growing portfolio of in-licensed products. Dr. Chiasson recently served as vice president, U.S. Strategic Regulatory and Global Medical Services at OptumInsight (Life Sciences Group), a division of UnitedHealth Group.

Prior to his position at OptumInsight, he was director, Regional Medical Liaisons and Medical Services, North American Scientific Affairs for Amgen Canada. He was also employed by Bayer Healthcare Canada as director, Scientific Development Biologic, Products for Canada, as part of the Canada, Japan and developing markets group.

MethylGene Inc. has appointed Dr. Charles M. Baum to the position of president and CEO. In his new role he has also joined the company’s board of directors. Dr. Baum was most recently senior vice president for clinical research within Pfizer’s Worldwide Research & Development division.

He has worked at Pfizer since 2003, including as vice president and head of the oncology development and CMO for Pfizer’s Biotherapeutics and Bioinnovation Center, a Pfizer division comprised of small biotech research units. Prior to joining Pfizer Dr. Baum was responsible for the development of several oncology compounds at Schering-Plough, including temozolomide (Temodar®). His career also includes academic and hospital positions at Stanford and Emory Universities, as well as positions of increasing responsibility within the pharmaceutical industry (Systemix, Searle, Schering-Plough and Pfizer).

www.laboratoryfocus.ca

Laboratory Focus January 2013

Pharma notes Warnex Inc. (Laval, QC) has successfully completed the sale of its bioanalytical services division to Biotrial Research S.A.S., a privately-owned contract research organization headquartered in Rennes, France. As a result of the closing of the transaction, the listing of Warnex’s common shares is expected to be transferred from the TSX Venture Exchange to the NEX. Helix BioPharma Corp.

(Aurora, ON) and Merck have agreed to terminate their collaboration under the material transfer and license option agreement, originally entered into between Helix and a Merck subsidiary in December 2000, for the development of pharmaceutical products containing Topical Interferon Alpha-2b.

In addition, Helix has entered into a definitive agreement for the sale of its Rivex Pharma division to Pharmascience Inc. (Montréal, QC).

Patheon Inc. (Mississauga, ON) has completed its acquisition of Banner Pharmacaps, a specialty pharmaceutical business dedicated to the research, development and manufacturing of unique gelatinbased dosage forms. Banner has four manufacturing facilities and is headquartered in High Point, N.C., with additional research labs and manufacturing facilities in the Netherlands, Canada and Mexico. The acquisition was structured as a purchase of all of the shares of the entities through which Banner conducts its operations for a purchase price of approximately U.S. $255 million, subject to adjustment for working capital and pay-off amounts for existing debt and transaction expenses. Patheon also completed its previously announced refinancing, pursuant to which it entered into U.S. $660 million senior secured facilities, comprised of a U.S. $575 million term loan facility and a U.S. $85 million revolving facility.

Amorfix Life Sciences Ltd. (Mississauga, ON) has established a collaboration

with CNJ Holdings Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Cangene Corporation (Winnipeg, MB), for the identification and development of therapeutic antibodies against pro-

prietary disease specific epitopes (DSEs) identified using Amorfix’s ProMIS™ discovery technology for the treatment of various oncology indications. Amorfix’s current therapeutic port-

folio includes antibodies directed against a number of misfolded protein targets for the treatment of a variety of cancers including ovarian cancer, melanoma and leukemia. The collaboration

will allow Amorfix to expand its product pipeline of potential cancer therapeutics.

The terms of the collaboration were not disclosed.

ANNOUNCING

An Incredible New Partnership We are pleased to announce that Mandel Scientific has entered into a partnership with Wyvern Scientific to distribute their products in Canada, including: •

Replacement Water Purification Cartridges (*Millipore and Barnstead Systems)

•

Syringe Filters - All Varieties

•

Glass Microfiber Filters (934-AH ®)

•

Cellulose Filter Paper

•

MCE Membranes

•

Extraction Thimbles

7

Quality Products for Your Lab at Affordable Prices!

Our Filtration Products are Designed, Manufactured and Certified in Accordance with ISO 9001 *Barnstead and Millipore are trademarks of Thermo Fisher Corporation and Millipore Corporation respectively and are used for identification purposes

www.mandel.ca 1-888-883-3636 info@mandel.ca

8

January 2013 Laboratory Focus www.laboratoryfocus.ca

Feature

By: Martin Frey, Annet te Summers, Mary Napier

The future

of biobanking

The biobanking market is poised for explosive growth if it can

overcome the challenges of an adolescent industry. According to an August 2012 Infiniti Research report titled “Global Biobanking Market 20112015,” the biobanking market will increase 30 per cent from 2011 to 2015 to nearly $183 billion.1 This growth is being driven by an increase in population genetics studies, personalized medicine, and the use of genetic information in food safety, forensics, and disease surveillance.

Biobanking throughout the decades Biobanks are typically cryogenic storage facilities maintained by institutions that manage a collection of biological materials, such as human tissue, serum, plasma, urine, and blood, along with the donors’ data.

The majority of biobanks store tissue that will be used in medical research.

A small collection of blood samples kept in a freezer can technically be classified as a biobank, but the term is often associated with larger facilities maintaining hundreds of thousands of samples.2 Sample collections must be maintained reliably with minimal deterioration over time, and they must be protected from any physical damage.3 Quality sample management is a wellknown challenge facing life science investigators, and the need for biobanks is growing as the pharmaceutical industry shifts toward personalized medicine, which requires more usable, well-maintained biospecimen collections.

Biobanks have been around for at least 50 years. First-generation biobanks stored and retrieved samples manually from liquid nitrogen tanks or -20/-80°C freezers. Sample management and information system standards varied between institutions.

“In existing conventional biological storage, warming events can have significant impact on the integrity of samples,” explains Matt Hamilton, vice president at Hamilton Storage Technologies. “The opening and closing of a manual freezer door creates the opportunity for extreme and continuous temperature fluctuations inside the entire storage compartment which can adversely affect each sample in the freezer. The thermostability of each sample, and therefore the potential for damage, is dependent upon the type of tube the sample is stored in, the storage buffer pH and the volume in the storage tube. It is

important to evaluate the storage conditions very closely since multiple factors can impact sample integrity during storage.”4 A door held open on a manual freezer for even a short period can result in a significant temperature increase. Data gathered by Hamilton Storage Technologies shows that the temperature of samples taken from -80°C storage to ambient conditions increases by an average of up to 21.5°C per minute (Figure 1). Holding a manual freezer door open for more than one minute can expose some samples to temperatures inside the freezer that are above -60°C depending upon the freezer configuration and sample storage conditions.

This can happen countless times over the lifetime of a sample stored and retrieved manually. Accumulated temperature elevations above this level are believed to damage the integrity of many biospecimen types.5 Since the late 1990s, biobanks have become a key resource for a growing number of genomics, personalized

medicine, and other types of studies. Since the early 2000s and the completion of the Human Genome Project, second-generation biobanks have emerged to meet the needs of modern researchers. One-third of all biobanks have been installed since the early 2000s, after the draft of the human genome was completed.

The growing presence of biobanks reflects their growing importance in advancing genetic research and testing.6 Second-generation biobanks offered improved operational design through standardized protocols for sample storage and annotation, and began to use automated liquid handling for some tasks.

The gap between second-generation biobank infrastructure and researchers’ needs became apparent in large genetic studies such as The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) program.7 TCGA began as a three-year pilot in 2006 with an investment of $50 million from the National Cancer Institute (NCI) and the National Human

Genome Research Institute (NHGRI).

The project’s goal was to create an atlas of genetic changes that manifested as a cell became cancerous.8 TGCA characterized more than 20 tumour types, which required the careful collection of thousands of cancer samples.9 Dozens of biorepositories in the U.S. assured the institute that at least 500 samples of each required cancer type could be easily provided. Early in the project, it became clear that many specimens were unfit for analysis due to the lack of sample storage standards.

The rate of unacceptable shipments from some institutions ran as high as 99 per cent.10,11 To achieve their mission of mapping the genetic changes in cancer, the investigators had to elevate the challenges of fixing, storing, and annotating samples. Because of this need, the Office of Biorepositories and Biospecimen Research (OBBR) published its first guidelines for the industry in 2006. During 2007, forums were held to distribute and educate professionals on the guidelines, which increased standards for reliability and sample handling.12

The rise of third-generation biobanking technology Reliability of third-generation biobanks is measured by “uptime.”13 Third-generation systems typically include four main building blocks: automated tube storage and retriev-

www.laboratoryfocus.ca

9

Laboratory Focus January 2013

Feature

Hamilton Storage Technologies’ SAM and Rack Runner systems at the Netherlands Forensic Institute in The Hague.

Photo Credit: Netherlands Forensic Institute al, tube processing assisted by robotic liquid handlers, a plate storage and retrieval system, and a database infrastructure that stores clinical information about the sample.

In a third-generation system, researchers do not open freezer doors; they simply place sample tubes in a temperature-controlled hatch and a robotic arm retrieves the tube and stores it in a unique interior cell.

Tubes are barcoded so researchers can use laboratory information management systems (LIMS) to search for appropriate samples. This information system enables the researcher to store and retrieve the sample securely. When a researcher wants to retrieve a sample for a particular study, they transmit their request to the automated biobank’s LIMS and the robotic arm retrieves the sample. The arm deposits the sample in a delivery hatch and an email is sent when the sample is ready to be picked up. The -80°C freezer also records how many times each sample is removed from frozen storage and for how long. The automated system reduces sample retrieval time, preserves the chain of custody, and minimizes the sample’s time outside its optimal storage temperature.

“Removing the uncertainty about storage conditions ensures that data derived from sample testing will be accurate and reliable,” explains Hamilton.14

Users and technology The most common laboratories or organizations utilizing this type of automated storage system are those

Figure 1

collecting biological samples that need to be stored in large quantities at ultra-low temperatures for a long period. Typically, biobanks support researchers who are performing population- or disease-based studies, or forensic institutions storing samples from crime scenes. Biobanks storing tissue also need to track chain of custody, and virtually all laboratories need to maintain temperature stability and thus the value of their samples.

Hamilton Storage Technologies, a leader in laboratory automation, recently introduced its third-generation BiOS™ automated storage system to meet the demands of today’s labs and clinics.15 This ultra-low-temperature storage system is designed to store more than 10 million sensitive biological samples in multiple types of labware such as tubes and microplates. All samples within the BiOS system are stored in -85°C freezer compartments to maintain temperature stability even while sample picking. One- and two-dimensional barcode reading and sample tracking provide chain-of-custody documentation, with software tools to support compliance with the FDA’s 21 CFR Part 11 regulations. Multiple redundant backup systems ensure that samples stay at -85°C, even in emergencies.

Along with the BiOS system, Hamilton Robotics provides a fully integrated, automated liquid handling

workstation, the Microlab® STAR, which utilizes the Rack Runner™ robot for true hands-free operation, further ensuring integrity of the sample transfer from the BiOS system to finished preparation for analysis.16 This robot is configurable for almost any sample preparation requirement and supports the speed requirements of high-throughput labs using next-generation sequencing for gene expression and genotyping applications.

The Netherlands Forensic Institute (NFI) and the LifeLines Biobank at the University Medical Center Groningen (UMCG) in the Netherlands have purchased the new Hamilton BiOS system to store their sample collections.17 LifeLines is a major, three-generation population-based study of 165,000 residents of the Netherlands’ northern provinces. The study is based on UMCG’s healthy aging program and seeks to identify universal risk factors, and their modifiers, for multifactorial diseases such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, asthma/ COPD, and depression. By 2017, LifeLines expects to collect and store more than eight million samples in the BiOS system, including urine, plasma, serum, and buffy coat extracts. The BiOS system ensures long-term sample viability and provides redundant cooling along with sample picking at ultra-low temperatures.18 “Sample safety was our foremost goal when we started the tender pro-

10

January 2013 Laboratory Focus www.laboratoryfocus.ca

Feature

collection to storage to extraction.

By improving the quality of biobanking facilities, precious samples will be protected and more useful to researchers, which will lead to a better understanding of disease biology and improving methods to safeguard our environment.

References

cess,” explains Marcel Bruinenberg, research laboratory manager at LifeLines. “The technology in the Hamilton BiOS system guarantees that the samples will never go above -65˚C, significantly lowering the risk of degradation. Our goal is to keep samples viable for 30 years or longer.”19 NFI performs the vast majority of forensic DNA casework in the Netherlands, including providing second opinions and analyses for cold cases.

NFI will utilize the BiOS system for long-term storage of DNA extracts from crime scenes. Ultimately, one million crime scene samples will be stored in the system for 80 years, as required by government regulations. NFI will also use a +4°C SAM™ system to store active case samples, providing access without freezethaw cycles.20 NFI was impressed with the degree of innovation Hamilton’s biobanking automation solutions offered. Specifically, AutoLys tubes and FlipTubesTM which enable sample lysis to be automated.21 Hamilton had identified sample lysis as a major bottleneck in DNA forensics analysis and invested in developing a completely new solution. NFI had been hand-processing the lysis step on critical crime samples to meet quality and yield demands. When validating their new biobanking system, they tested an automated sample lysis and DNA extraction solution. AutoLys tubes are test tubes designed explicitly for automated DNA sample lysis and DNA extraction for forensic studies, and are used with Hamilton Microlab® AutoLys STAR liquid handling instruments. Initial validation work with the AutoLys STAR system produced results at quality levels comparable to the lab’s manual process standards.

Automating this process also reduces the possibility of manual errors, lowers contamination risk, and offers the ability to run assays overnight. NFI expects this system to improve overall lab throughput.22

Expanding markets More laboratories are adopting thirdgeneration systems, like the Hamilton BiOS system, to keep up with industry standards, increased workloads,

tighter regulatory requirements, and data analysis needs. Biobanks are becoming larger, more sophisticated, and more centralized, which improves sample storage economics and concentrates the workload to a few highly skilled workers. The trend toward larger and larger biobanks will continue as genetic testing expands beyond the medical field.

As genetic information becomes more affordable to obtain and analyze, this information can be used to make our environment and our neighborhoods safer. For example, genetic testing has taken off in forensics. Crime statistics indicate that arrests, identifications, and prosecutions double when genetic information is used to solve a crime. All 50 states now mandate the collection of DNA samples from offenders of certain crimes. This policy has had an unintended consequence of creating processing delays. A report from the National Institute of Justice in 2011 indicated that the number of backlogged samples in the US has exceeded 100,000 for several years.23 Agricultural industries also now employ genetic testing to track outbreaks. Using simple environmental testing methods, FDA field stations use genomic assays to quickly identify the pathogens causing the outbreak. Genomic information can now be used to improve response time to an outbreak and resolve a challenging business problem between food producers and distributors.24

Conclusion In the future, the biobanking industry will likely include more globally centralized centres for studying specific genetic diseases and monitoring the health of our environment. This shift toward consolidation for the large and mid-sized centres will reduce the number of biobanking facilities that do not meet newer standards and will lower overall storage costs.25 These larger facilities will need to adopt technologies that include complete sample processing, both up and downstream, using robotic liquid handling systems. Centres will have advanced LIMS that track samples and maintain chain-of-custody from

1. Infiniti Research Limited, “Global Biobanking Market: 2011-2015.”(Elmhurst: Inifiniti Research, 2012). np.

2. M. Frey, “Automation Improves Biobanking Efficiency.” Tutorials, Genetic Engineering News Dec. 1, 2010: Vol. 30 (21), http://www. genengnews.com/gen-articles/bautomation-b-b-improves-b-bbiobanking-b-efficiency/3496 3. F. Betsou et al, “What are the Biggest Challenges and Opportunities for Biorepositories in the Next Three to Five Years?”Biopreservation and Biobanking. 8.2 (2010). doi:10.1089/ bio.2010.8210.

4. Matt Hamilton, (vice president at Hamilton Storage Technologies), in discussion with the author October 2012.

5. Betsou, “What are the Biggest Challenges and Opportunities for Biorepositories in the Next Three to Five Years?”

6. Ibid 7. B. Schwarz, “The Challenge for Biobanking.” Opinion, Biotechnologynews.net.

May 19, 2011. http://www. bluechiip.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/110519_Article _in_BioTechnologyNews.net 8. National Cancer Institute; The Cancer Genome Atlas; “Program Overview History and Timeline”. http://cancergenome.nih.gov/ abouttcga/overview/history 9. bid 10. B. Schwarz, “The Challenge for Biobanking” May 19, 2011 11. S. Silberman, “Libraries of Flesh: The Sorry State of Human Tissue Storage.” Wired, June 2010. http://www.wired.com/magazine/2010/05/ff_biobanks/ 12. National Cancer Institute; The Cancer Genome Atlas; “Program Overview History and Timeline” 13. M. Baker, “Biorepositories: Building better biobanks.” Nature 486, 141–146 (07 June 2012). doi:10.1038/486141a 14. Matt Hamilton, (vice president at Hamilton Storage Technologies), in discussion with the author October 2012.

15. Hamilton Company; Storage; Automated Sample Storage; BiOS system 16. Hamilton Company; Robotics; STAR Line 17. Hamilton Company, “New Hamilton Fully Automated Sample Lysis Solution to be Validated by Netherlands Forensic Institute.” news

release, Feb 14, 2012 http://www. evidencemagazine.com/images/ Newsletters%20Feb%202012/ HamiltonAutoLysSystem.pdf 18. Lifelines; Lifelines research; the “Study design and organization” http://www.lifelines.nl/lifelines-research/study-design-and-organisation 19. Hamilton Company, “Lifelines Biobank Buys New BiOS System from Hamilton Storage Technologies.” news release, Feb 12, 2012 http://www.hamilton-storage.com/ storage-technologies/details/ news/lifelines-biobank-buys-newbios-system-from-hamilton-storage-technologies 20. Hamilton Company, “Lifelines Biobank Buys New BiOS System from Hamilton Storage Technologies.” news release, Feb 27, 2012 http://www.hamilton-storage. com/storage-technologies/details/ news/lifelines-biobank-buys-newbios-system-from-hamilton-storage-technologies 21. Hamilton Company, news release Feb 14, 2012.

22. Tijark Tjin A Tsoi, “Tijark Tjin A Tsoi Speaks About the NFI.” NFI video, 0:59. April 9, 2012. http://www.forensicinstitute.nl/about%5Fnfi/ organisation%5Fprofile/ 23. US Department of Justice. NIJ Special Report. “Making Sense of DNA Backlogs, 2010. Myths vs. Realities. Feb. 2011. NCJ 232197. Accessed October 2012. https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/ nij/232197.pdf 24. National Agricultural Genotyping Center. “Translating Science into Solutions for Agriculture.”

Date unknown. Accessed online October 2012. http://www.ncga. com/uploads/useruploads/nagc_ white_paper.pdf 25. M. Lambert, “Biobanking Confronts Growing Pains” Feature Articles,Genetic Engineering News. Vol 32 (16). Sept. 15, 2012. http://genengnews.com/ gen-articles/biobanking-confronts-growing-pains/4481

Martin Frey, Ph.D., is head of the Storage Technology Market Segment at Hamilton Bonaduz. Dr. Frey is currently the acting product manager for the BiOS automated sample storage system.

Annette Summers is a consultant for Hamilton Company and the founder of GeneCom Group, a marketing and public relations firm.

Mary Napier is a consultant for GeneCom Group and provides scientific writing and industry research assistance to the firm.

To see this story online visit http://www.laboratoryfocus. ca/?p=507

Introducing Ti-Touch for routine titrations.

• Burette, stirrer and full-color touch control all in a single, tiny footprint

• No-Touch reagent exchange on Karl Fischer models for maximum safety

• Networking, remote printing and paperless PDFs – no PC needed!

• Hundreds of pre-programmed methods included

• Direct access to 14 methods and common functions

www.metrohmusa.com

866-METROHM (638-7646)

CAN.0710.A1.1002-TAB-LFO © 2012 Metrohm USA, Inc. Metrohm and design® is a registered trademark of Metrohm Ltd.

Here’s proof that big things do come in small packages

12

January 2013 Laboratory Focus www.laboratoryfocus.ca

feature

Kirill gromadsKi, ruediger saloWsKy and susanne gluecK

improving sample quality

for target enrichment and

next-gen sequencing ABSTRACT Next-generation sequencing (NgS) has revolutionized the genetic landscape. it is a lengthy, labour-intensive process that yields results never before achieved. As a result, it is imperative that the quality of the DNA sample be evaluated from the start, as most NgS sample preparation protocols require PCR amplification to generate DNA libraries prior to sequencing.

The likelihood of artifact generation could contribute to bias, affecting the potential results. The High Sensitivity DNA Kit used with the Agilent 2100 Bioanalyzer has been optimized with improved levels of detection. The improved sensitivity allows the numbers of library PCR cycles to be reduced, removing amplification bias and significantly improving the quality of NGS data with increased accuracy.

This application note describes how the Agilent 2100 Bioanalyzer High Sensitivity DNA Kit can be used to provide quantitative and qualitative information about the DNA samples used in the Agilent SureSelect Target Enrichment System.

Introduction The Agilent 2100 Bioanalyzer, an automated on-chip electrophoresis system, has already proven to be a valuable tool for automated sizing and quantification of various doublestranded DNA sample types relevant for the nextgeneration sequencing (NGS) sample preparation workflow.1 The Agilent 2100 Bioanalyzer with the DNA 1000 kit is recommended by NGS platform providers for measuring DNA sample quality prior to sequencing runs. These quality checks reduce time and resources wasted by low quality samples. Recently, a High Sensitivity DNA kit was developed which offers improved sensitivity for checking the size and quantity of precious low concentrated DNA starting material or DNA libraries down to a concentration of 100 pg/μL. Next-generation sequencing technology has brought high throughput to genome sequencing, but the new processes lack the ability to tar-

get specific areas of a genome. The SureSelect Target Enrichment System enables genomic areas of interest to be sequenced exclusively. This creates process efficiencies that reduce costs and allow more samples to be analyzed per study.2 The Agilent High Sensitivity DNA Kit and the Agilent 2100 Bioanalyzer can be used for quality control at several steps during the SureSelect Target Enrichment workflow. During the sample preparation, the Agilent 2100 Bioanalyzer is used for quality control and sizing selection of the sheared genomic DNA, and to assess the quality and

figure 1

size distribution of the PCR amplified sequencing library DNA. After posthybridization amplification, the Agilent 2100 Bioanalyzer can be used to determine the quality and the concentration of the PCR-amplified capture DNA before sequencing.

This Application Note describes how the High Sensitivity DNA kit and the Agilent 2100 Bioanalyzer can be used before sequencing to reduce the number of required PCR cycles. This reduces amplification bias, thus improving the quality of DNA libraries created during the SureSelect Target Enrichment workflow.

Experimental DNA library preparation The DNA library was prepared for Illumina’s Genome Analyzer II sequencers according to manufacturer’s instructions.

SureSelect Target Enrichment The SureSelect Target Enrichment for the Illumina single-end sequencing platform, consisting of three main steps; sample preparation, hybridization and post hybridization amplification, was carried out as described in the manual.3 16 DNA samples obtained after the post-hybridization amplification with different numbers of PCR cycles (4-18) were used for DNA analysis with the Agilent 2100 Bioanalyzer.

High Sensitivity DNA analysis with the Agilent 2100 Bioanalyzer The on-chip DNA electrophoresis was performed on the Agilent 2100 Bioan-

PCR-amplified DNA library derived from the SureSelect Target Enrichment workflow, analyzed with the High Sensitivity DNA kit.

(a) overlay of dna electropherograms obtained after 4 to 10 Pcr cycles as well as Te buffer blank (black). The number of Pcr cycles is indicated in the electropherogram overlay. (b) overlay of dna electropherograms obtained after 12 to 18 Pcr cycles. The number of Pcr cycles and the dilution ratios are indicated in the electropherogram overlay.

14

January 2013 Laboratory Focus www.laboratoryfocus.ca

feature alyzer in combination with the Agilent High Sensitivity DNA kit, according to the High Sensitivity DNA kit guide.4 A dedicated High Sensitivity DNA assay is available with the Agilent 2100 Expert software (revision B.02.07 or higher). An integration region from 100 to 2000 bp was used for all samples for smear quantification.

DNA quantification In addition to the fluorescence-based DNA quantification on the Agilent 2100 Bioanalyzer, the Qubit fluorometer and the Qubit Quant-iT dsDNA BR Assay kit were used for DNA quantification according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

Results and discussion This Application Note describes how the Agilent High Sensitivity DNA kit and the Agilent 2100 Bioanalyzer can be used to further improve the quality of DNA sequencing libraries enriched by the SureSelect kit. For this purpose, 16 amplified and purified DNA samples from the posthybridization PCR amplification step were analyzed with the High Sensitivity DNA kit and the 2100 Bioanalyzer prior to sequencing on the Illumina platform.

Figure 1 shows electropherograms of typical PCR amplified DNA libraries. The electropherograms show a typical smear from 150 to 350 nucleotides. The primers/primer-dimers migrated very close to the lower marker, but did not affect the analysis. The excellent sensitivity of the High Sensitivity DNA kit allowed the amplified DNA to be detected and reliably quantified, even after only four PCR cycles (figure 2). As expected, DNA concentration increased with the number of PCR cycles. Above 14 PCR cycles, the increase in DNA concentration was no longer linear and became saturated (figure 1B).

When using 10 or more cycles, the DNA concentration was outside the quantitative range of the High Sensitivity assay. These samples were diluted with TE buffer in the indicated dilution ratios (figure 1B) prior to the analysis on the Agilent 2100 Bioanalyzer.

The key observation clearly shown in figure 1B, is that the quality of the PCR product depended on the number of PCR cycles performed. After 14 PCR cycles, an additional DNA smear at approximately 500 bp was detected in the electropherogram.

This PCR artifact could potentially affect the efficiency of an NGS experiment. When running amplifications with PCR cycles below 14 this PCR artifact was not observed. DNA library analysis with the High Sensitivity DNA kit allows the number of required PCR cycles to be reduced.

This results in fewer amplificationrelated artifacts, significantly improving the DNA sample quality for downstream sequencing. It should be expected that the improved DNA sample quality due to the reduced number of PCR cycles will positively affect the outcome of the downstream sequencing by reducing allelic bias, single-stranded DNA generation, and duplicate sequences.5 The DNA concentrations determined with the High Sensitivity DNA kit were also compared with the DNA concentrations measured with a fluorometer (table 1). The DNA samples obtained after 4 to 10 PCR cycles were measured directly without dilution; all other samples were diluted as indicated in figure 1. The selected assay on the fluorometer permitted DNA quantification only after 10 or more PCR cycles. The High Sensitivity DNA kit provided a reproducible DNA quantification after only four PCR cycles. For added confidence in our results, each DNA sample was measured four times on two different High Sensitivity DNA chips with the Agilent 2100 Bioanalyzer.

Above 10 PCR cycles, overall DNA concentrations are generally similar for both methods. Variances in the DNA concentration determined with the fluorometer and the on-chip electrophoresis could be due to the differences in technologies. Different fluorescent dyes are used, and the quantification by the Agilent 2100 Bioanalyzer is preceded by an electrophoretic separation of the sample. Additional variances were introduced by diluting the samples.

Figure 3 graphically summarizes the data from table 1. The DNA concentrations obtained through both DNA quantification methods were plotted against the number of PCR cycles.

Both methods, the fluorometer and the on-chip electrophoresis, clearly show the expected sigmoid amplification rate. The results obtained with both methods are in good agreement with each other. The Agilent 2100 Bioanalyzer provides DNA quantification as well as additional valuable information on the quality of the enriched DNA library.

The insert in figure 3 shows the same data in double logarithmic scale to demonstrate the linearity of both methods. The linear dynamic range for the SureSelect DNA samples analyzed with the High Sensitivity DNA assay and the Agilent 2100 Bioanalyzer was determined to be 80 to 5000 pg/μL with r2= 0.9996. The Page 3 last data point, after 18 PCR cycles, was not taken into account for this linearity analysis, as the PCR begins to saturate after 14 cycles.

Figure 2

Electropherogram obtained after 4 PCR cycles. The integration region from 100 to 2000 bp was used for smear quantification.

Table 1

Table 1 PCR cycles 4

6

8

10

12

14

18

Fluorometer DNA conc. [ng/µL]

2100 Bioanalyzer DNA conc. [ng/µL]

Deviation from fluorometer [%]

‐

0.090 ± 0.015

‐

‐

0.083 ± 0.007

‐

‐

0.304 ± 0.017

‐

‐

0.301 ± 0.010

‐

‐

1.13 ± 0.07

‐

‐

1.34 ± 0.07

‐

3.4

4.49 ± 0.16

32.1

3.4

4.54 ± 0.17

33.8

3.3

3.68 ± 0.22

10.3

4.1

4.03 ± 0.23

‐1.0

13.4

14.5 ± 0.5

8.0

12.5

13.9 ± 0.6

11.8

36 4 36.4

39 8 ± 3.5 39.8 35

94 9.4

43.6

51.6 ± 3.3

18.3

51.0

63.7 ± 3.4

24.9

61.4

70.0 ± 5.4

14.0

Comparison of DNA quantification with a fluorometer and the Agilent 2100 Bioanalyzer. 16 different DNA samples obtained from the post-hybridization amplification step of the SureSelect Target Enrichment workflow were quantified with the fluorometer and the Agilent 2100 Bioanalyzer. The DNA samples were measured directly (4 to 10 PCR cycles) or after dilution (12 to 18 cycles) as indicated in figure 1. The standard deviation for the total DNA concentration measured with the Agilent 2100 Bioanalyzer was calculated from four data points measured on two different DNA chips.

4

Laboratory Focus January 2013

New Products Figure 3

Comparison of DNA quantification with a fluorometer and the Agilent 2100 Bioanalyzer.

Sequencing The SPRIselect from Beckman Coulter Life Sciences utilizes SPRI-based (solid phase reversible immobilization) chemistry to speed and simplify genomic DNA size selection for next generation sequencing fragment library preparation. Following shearing, the library construction process requires size selection to produce uniform distribution of fragments. SPRIselect allows size distribution to be adjusted between 150 and 800 base pairs to suit the application and sequencing platform. The process can be performed manually or can be automated for high throughput in 96-well plates on platforms such as Beckman Coulter Life Sciences’ Biomek workstations. SPRIselect reagent kits are available in 5, 60 and 450 mL volume, and come with guidelines to assist users in customizing protocols. Gel cartridges, chips and additional instruments are not needed.

40

Log of conc. pg/µl Log of concentration [pg/µL]

100

60

Conce [p pg/µL] Centration oncentrati ion pg/µl

Figure 3

www.laboratoryfocus.ca

10

1

0.1

0

5

10

15

20

Log of PCR cycles number

20

Web: www.beckmancoulter.com

0 0

5

10

15

20

Number NumberofofPCR PCRcycles cycles The obtained DNA concentrations (table 1) were plotted against the number of PCR cycles, Agilent 2100 Bioanalyzer ( black), fluorometer ( blue). The insert shows the same data in double logarithmic scale to demonstrate the linearity of both methods.

Conclusion Quality control of DNA samples after library generation derived from the SureSelect Target Enrichment workflow can easily be performed with the High Sensitivity DNA kit and the Agilent 2100 Bioanalyzer.

The High Sensitivity DNA kit offers increased sensitivity for DNA analysis down to pg/μL concentrations across a broad linear dynamic range. This enhanced performance allows the number of required PCR cycles to be significantly decreased, eliminating PCR artifacts, while still reliably quantifying the sample.

The improved DNA quality will improve the outcome of downstream sequencing analysis, maximizing throughput efficiency while minimizing cost per sample Therefore, the number of required PCR cycles can be significantly decreased, eliminating PCR artifacts, while still reliably quantifying the sample.

References 1. “Performance characteristics of the High Sensitivity DNA assay for the Agilent 2100 Bioanalyzer”, Agilent Technologies Technical Note, publication number 5990-4417EN, 2009.

2. Gnirke, A., Melnikov, A., Maguire, J., Rogov, P., LeProust, E.M., Brokman, W., Fenell, T., Giannoukos, G., Fisher, S., Russ, C., Gabriel, S., Jaffe, D.B., Lander, E.S. and Nusbaum, “Solution hybrid selection with ultra-long oligonucleotides for massively parallel targeted sequencing”, C., Nature Biotechnology, 27 (2), 182-189, 2009.

3. “SureSelect Target Enrichment System, Illumina Single-End Sequencing Platform Library Prep”, Agilent Technologies Manual, reference number G3360-90010, 2009.

4. “Agilent High Sensitivity DNA Kit Guide”, Agilent Technologies Manual, reference number G2938-90321, 2009.

5. Quail, M.A., Kozarewa, I., Smith, F., Scally, A., Stephens, P.J., Durbin, R., Swerdlow, H., and Turner, D.J.; “A large genome center’s improvements to the Illumina sequencing system”; Nature Methods, 5 (12) 1005-10, 2008.

To see this story online visit http://www.laboratoryfocus. ca/?p=509

Work station The new Thermo Scientific Automated Nucleic Acid Extraction WorkStation offers fully automated workflow, high-speed purificaKirill Gromadski Agilent Restricted tions by combining several May, 20 2009 Thermo Fisher tools into one turnkey solution. The system is ideal for a variety of downstream applications including sequencing, cloning, as well as both PCR and qPCR, and allows instruments to be used in a complete workflow, alone or even interchanged while the system is running. Controlled and monitored by the Thermo Scientific Momentum™ scheduling software, the Automated Nucleic Acid Extraction Workstation and other networked tools can be easily programmed to ensure the simultaneous running of multiple processes. When leaving the instruments unattended, the software enhances user confidence by providing accelerated simulation to test required processes in advance, isolating problems and delivering recovery options for the workflow.

The system also integrates the Thermo Scientific Kingfisher® Flex purification system, Multidrop® Combi reagent dispenser, Alps 3000TM microplate heat sealer and Orbitor® RS or Orbitor BenchTrak™, with a number of other components including instruments drivers, storage hotels and a waste station. Key to the efficient movement of plates between the different instruments and storage hotels is the incorporation of the Orbitor RS or Orbitor BenchTrak.

Web: www.thermoscientific.com

Titration Metrohm’s new compact and easy-to-use Optrode colorimetric probe can effectively automate colorimetric titrations found in many USP, AOAC, AOCS and ASTM methods. Key features are its versatility, with eight built-in wavelengths (470, 502, 520, 574, 590, 610, 640 and 660 nm) and its resilient glass shaft, which assures compatibility with nearly all solvent systems. The Optrode requires no external programming and its USB interface easily connects to any Metrohm or other manufacturer’s titrator.

Web: www.metrohmca.com

15

16

New Products Gas Chromatography Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. has added negative and positive ion chemical ionization (CI) capabilities to its new Thermo Scientific TSQ 8000 triple quadrupole GC-MS system. The addition of chemical ionization to the TSQ™ 8000 GC-MS/MS increases analytical options available to the user for addressing the diverse challenges of complex, trace level analysis. Chemical ionization can be used for applications such as persistent organic pollutants (POPs), and methods that utilize halogenated derivatized reagents including estrogenic compounds or tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) in hair. In addition to the CI capability, Thermo Fisher also introduces direct insertion and direct exposure probe options, which further enhance the user’s ability to analyze samples in the TSQ 8000 mass spectrometer. These options are especially useful in combination with MS/MS for applications such as the rapid structural characterization of chemical reaction products, which are important in chemical research and academic applications.

Web: www.thermoscientific.com

Incubator Sheldon Manufacturing, Inc. introduces the SHEL LAB Model 2428H, the newest addition to its large capacity CO2 incubator line.

This 27 cubic foot incubator features active humidity control up to 95 per cent. Compared to water pan humidity generation, the 2428H humidity system provides less evaporation of culture media and eliminates a potential source for contamination. The 2428H also has a heated glass door that minimizes condensation, another potential source for contamination. The triple-paned glass door allows easy viewing of samples without having to open the incubator door, so samples can thrive in the stable environment within the chamber. The incubator also features an antimicrobial copper drain and uses a gentle horizontal air flow heating system to obtain temperature uniformity and quick temperature recovery after door openings.

Web: www.shellab.com

Vacuum Pump Welch-Ilmvac introduces the WelchNet Titan, a microprocessor controlled system of high capacity PTFE diaphragm vacuum pumps for multi-user laboratory installations. The pumps work individually or in tandem as the laboratory vacuum demand requires, holding vacuum level even if an individual pump needs maintenance. The Titan is mounted on a mobile base frame which is easily positioned for adaptation to existing plumbing. Titan-4 and Titan-6 are systems utilizing four or six PTFE diaphragm pumps to provide efficient vacuum on demand for up to 30 separate users.

The individual pumps start up in tandem and are successively switched off as working vacuum pressure is attained. One or more pumps come on in response to vacuum demand, rotating usage to distribute pump wear and extend maintenance interval.

Web: www.welchvacuum.com.

January 2013 Laboratory Focus www.laboratoryfocus.ca

Sample handling Chemists gain a whole new perspective on sample handling with Vista Vial™ series chromatography vials from J.G. Finneran Associates. The patented, two-part design consists of a glass base and a polyethylene top that snaps together to form a standard 12x32mm auto sampler vial. The glass base provides a wide target for pipettes and is ideal for highly viscous and foaming samples. The polyethylene top is available with 8 to 425mm threaded, 9mm threaded or 11mm Snap Seal™ neck finishes offering chemists a choice of closure systems. Depending on the sample, disposal of vials is easier as the plastic can be incinerated intact without the need for closure removal. The Vista Vial™ 1.0mL volume glass base is constructed of Type 1 borosilicate glass in either clear or amber. The polyethylene top accommodates 8-425mm standard and 9mm R.A.M. screw thread closures and septa. Threaded closures and septa are available individually or preassembled. The Vista Vial™ with 11mm Snap Seal™ finish accepts J.G. Finneran Poly Crimp™ seals, Snap Top Caps™ and standard aluminum seals.

Web: www.jgfinneran.com

Company & Advertiser Index COMPANY

Page Website

Amorfix Life Sciences Ltd..................... 7............................... www.amorfix.com Beckman Coulter............................... 15.................. www.beckmancoulter.com Covalon Technologies Ltd..................... 6...............................www.covalon.com CQDM............................................... 6...................................www.cqdm.org Government of Canada...................... 5...www.publichealth.gc.ca/pathogens EMD Millipore................................. 13..........www.millipore.com/ultrapure Eppendorf........................................ 20.......................... www.eppendorf.ca ESBE Scientific/Panasonic................ 19.............www.TwinGuardSeries.com Helix BioPharma Corp......................... 7.................... www.helixbiopharma.com Kinexus Bioinformatics Corporation...... 5..................................www.kinexus.ca Mandel............................................. 7................................www.mandel.ca Merck Canada.................................... 7................................... www.merck.ca Metrohm......................................... 11....................www.metrohmusa.com Metrohm Canada............................. 15......................www.metrohmca.com MethylGene Inc.................................. 6......................... www.methylgene.com Microbix Biosystems Inc...................... 6..............................www.microbix.com Oncolytics Biotech Inc......................... 6.................www.oncolyticsbiotech.com Ostara Nutrient Recovery..............................................................................

Technologies....................................... 6................................ www.ostara.com Sheldon Manufacturing Inc................. 16...............................www.shellab.com Stellar Pharmaceuticals Inc................. 6......................www.stellarpharma.com Thermo Fisher Scientific..................... 16................. www.thermoscientific.com Valeant Pharmaceuticals..................... 6..................... www.valeantcanada.com VWR................................................. 2.................................. www.vwr.com Warner Instruments.......................... 15......................www.warneronline.com Warnex Inc......................................... 7..................................www.warnex.ca Wyvern Scientific............................. 7........................ www.wyvernsci.com

www.laboratoryfocus.ca Laboratory Focus

JANUARY 2013 January 7-9

January 2013

Calendar

March 2013

March 17-22

April 2013

PITTCON Venue: Philadelphia, PA Tel: 412-825-3220 Fax: 412-825-3224 Email: info@pittcon.org Web: www.pittcon.org

March 11-13

RC_lab_new:Layout 1 12/19/2012 10:01 AM Page 1 BIO-Europe Spring Biotech Showcase™ 2013 Venue: Barcelona, Spain Venue: San Francisco, CA Tel: 760-930-0500 Tel: +1 760 930 0500 Email: chundschell@ebdgroup.com Email: jgriego@ebdgroup.com Web: www.ebdgroup.com/bes/ Web: www.ebdgroup.com/bts/ index.php index.php

17

April 22-25 Bio International Convention Venue: Chicago, IL Email: reg2013@bio.org Web: www.convention.bio.org

January 12-16 SLAS 2013 Venue: Orlando, FL Tel: 630-256-7527 Fax: 630-741-7527 Email: slas@slas.org Web: www.slas2013.org

SRC103

January 20-24 11th Winter Conference on Medicinal & Bioorganic Chemistry Venue: Steamboat Springs, CO Tel: +44-1435-873062 Email: claire@scientificupdate.co.uk Web: www.mbcfconference.com/ events/wmbcf-next-event-2013.html

I wish to receive/continue to receive a complimentary subscription to

Yes

LABORATORY FOCUS

No

Format Preference:

Print option

Digital option

Signature:________________________________Date: ____________________________

January 26-29

Name: ____________________________Job Title:_______________________________

2013 Annual Meeting of the ORS Venue: San Antonio, TX Tel: 847-823-5770 Fax: 847-823-5772 Email: ors@ors.org Web: www.ors.org/

Company: _________________________Dept: _________________________________

FEBRUARY 2013 February 11-12 BIO CEO & Investor Conference Venue: New York, NY Email: bd_registration@bio.org Web: www.bio.org/events/ conferences/bio-ceo-investorconference

February 22-24 2013 BIOTECanada Whistler Meeting on the Mountain and CEO Summit Venue: Whistler, BC Email: kira.pejemsky@biotech.ca Web: www.biotech.ca/en/whatwe-do/2012events.aspx

February 24-26 11th Annual BioPartnering North America Venue: Vancouver, BC Tel: 604.601.8372 Fax: 604.689.4486 Email: contact@techvision.com Web: www.techvision.com/bpn/

February 26-28 Cell Culture World Congress 2013 Venue: Munich, Germany Tel: +44 (0)20 7092 1000 Fax: +44 (0)20 7242 1508 Email: enquiry.uk@terrapinn.com Web: www.terrapinn.com/2013/ cellculture

Business Address : _______________________________________________________ City: _________________________Prov: ________Postal Code: ___________________ Telephone: ___________________________Fax: ________________________________ E-mail: ___________________________________________________________________ On occasion, LABORATORY FOCUS will send third-party information on products & services related to the lab and life science industries. These may be cancelled at any time. Please check here if you do NOT wish to receive these.

JOB TITLE 70 Laboratory Dir. / Mgr. 71 Laboratory Purchaser 72 Laboratory Technician 73 Research Scientist 99 Other:____________________ ____________________________

C75 10 11 12 13 14 15

C87 A B C D

C90

COMPANYs PRIMARY BUSINESS ACTIVITY 50 Industrial Laboratories 51 Academic Laboratories (except medical) 52 Medical Laboratories and Pharmacies within Hospitals and Universities (clinical and research)

55 Government Laboratories 54 Pharmaceutical Companies including Pharmaceutical Wholesalers 57 Private (Independent) Lab 99 Other:____________________ ____________________________

Primary Work Field Aerospace Automotive Biological Sciences Chemicals Electrical/Electronics Energy

16 Environmental Science 17 Food/Beverages/ Agriculture 18 Forensics 19 Genetic Technology 20 Material Science

27 Plastics/Rubber 28 Supplier – Instruments/ Consumables 29 Manufacturing 30 Construction 99 Other: ____________

21 Clinical Sciences 22 Metallurgy 23 Paints/Coatings 24 Paper/Pulp 25 Petroleum 26 Pharmaceuticals

Products Used in your Laboratory Analysis Instruments Basic Lab Equipment Chemicals/Biochemicals Chromatography – Gas

E F G H

Chromatography – Liquid Filtration, Water Purification LIMS Liquid Handling & Sample Prep

I J K L

Microscopes, Optics, Cameras Safety & Hygiene Spectroscopy Testing Systems/Equipment

M Vacuum Equipment

To subscribe to our e-mail newsletters, please check

1 Biotechnology Focus eBulletin 2 Laboratory Focus eBulletin

3 BioPharma 4 BioMedical 5 Health Care

6 Agri-Food 7 Clean Tech 8 Industry Inte

For a quick response please fax: 905-727-4428 or e-mail: circulation@promotive.net

18

Laboratory Focus January 2013 www.laboratoryfocus.ca

career sPotlight Bio-economy Career Profile

canada’s genome scientists

are looking for a few volunteers!

Some of our top genomic researchers have a message for the general public: they want your genome!

The request may sound odd, but the reasoning behind an initiative that will give Canadians an opportunity to participate in ground-breaking research is simple enough. It all ties into an exciting initiative launched last month: The Personal Genome Project Canada (PGP-C).

Spearheaded by the team of Dr. Stephen Scherer at the University of Toronto and The Hospital for Sick Kids, the PGP-C aims to sequence the genomes of 100 Canadians over the next year.

Collaborative in nature, the PGP-C is closely associated with a similar research effort: the Harvard Medical School’s Personal Genome Project (PGP-HMS). Founded in 2005, PGP-HMS currently has more than 2,100 enrolled volunteers providing genetic and health information, including more than 100 whole genomes. The hope through these projects is to sequence 100,000 individuals over the next decade.

The genetic information collected will be stored a public repository that researchers from around the world can use to understand the genetic basis for diseases such as cancer and autism. The data generated will also serve as a valuable resource for scientists working on computer software to better analyze human genome sequencing information.

Other collaborators in the project include: Toronto’s Medcan Clinic, The Centre for Applied Genomics at The Hospital for Sick Children and Life Technologies.

Volunteers who are interested in sharing their genetic and self-reported health information can do so by visiting http://www.personalgenomes.ca/.

Compiled by BioTalent Canada Position: Director, Clinical Research Name: Monique Champagne Company: Bioniche Life Sciences Inc. Salary Range: $120,000 and up per year

What I do:

My job involves the conduct of clinical trials with drugs that are not yet available on the market to prove their safety and efficacy and allow approval for marketing. I work with physicians and nurses who treat volunteer patients with test drugs, according to a research protocol. My main task is overseeing the conduct of clinical trials, which includes the review of patient data on a daily basis. I also oversee the preparation of clinical study documents. As a Clinical Research Associate (CRA), the average travel is about 75 per cent of the time; your main responsibility is to review patient data collected by investigators, so you must travel to the sites where investigators are located. As a project manager or program manager, your responsibility is the management of clinical studies, so travel is limited to the selection of qualified investigators and is between 25 to 50 per cent of the time. As a director, travel time makes up about 10 per cent of the time.

What education and skills do candidates need for this position?

I worked my way up to this position, as I started my career as a Clinical Research Associate. This is the case for most people who work in clinical research, as training is quite specialized. A scientific background is preferred, minimally a Bachelor of Science Degree. Specialized training is required to conduct clinical research. Many associations offer clinical training.

What are the best parts of your job?

The most rewarding thing is the feeling that you might find a drug that will cure a life-threatening disease.

For more Bio-economy Career Profiles visit www.biotalent.ca/careerprofiles-list-en

Security now comes with two Give your samples the ultimate protection of patented Twin Guard® technology – two independent systems can individually sustain ultra-low temperatures in the event of a failure, so you can rest easy knowing your valuable work is in good hands.

TRADITIONAL FREEZER

TWIN GUARD ® SERIES

LOST

23°C

CRITICAL

TWIN GUARD® SERIES MDF-U700VXC KEY

ULTRA-LOW

-65°C -86°C

-86°C

SINGLE COMPRESSOR SYSTEM FAILURE ULTRA- LOW SAMPLE LOSS SINGLE COMPRESSOR SYSTEM SECOND COMPRESSOR SYSTEM

Freezer relies on a single system, causing a complete shut-down when failure occurs

Second independent system kicks in to maintain ultra-low temperatures in the event of a failure

Full racks or built-in LN2/CO2 back-up system with purchase. Up to a $5,800 value.

Visit www.TwinGuardSeries.com to learn more!

This data is based on a normal failure of the compressor within an ambient environment for representation puroses only. Actual response may vary.

Ready, Set, Prep The new Eppendorf epMotion® 5073 family members Whether it’s PCR set-up or nucleic acids purification or general liquid handling tasks, experience how easy small scale benchtop automation can be.

Free up your time with high precision pipetting on 6 positions, automatic tool exchange and many other new features.

> Software assistants for easy application programing > MagSep reagents for DNA/RNA preparation > Application specific tools and accessories included

www.epMotion.com • 800-263-8715 031.A1.0129.A © 2013 Eppendorf AG.

C031.A1.0129.A.CA-LFO.indd 1

Full page tabloid ad Laboratory Focus – LFO

12/26/12 4:49 PM